Contact Harvest: The Cylon War
by Vile Twitch
Summary: When the Cylons fled the Twelve Colonies of Kobol what if they came across the UNSC in the year 2525 Halo/HaloWars/BSG2003
1. Prolog

**Contact Harvest: The Cylon War**

**Summery**: When the Cylons fled the Twelve Colonies of Kobol what if they came across the UNSC in the year 2525 Halo/HaloWars/BSG2003

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Halo or BSG

* * *

**Prolog**

"Captain we are nearing the Harvest system. ETA seven minutes."

Captain James Cutter nodded knowing that Serina the ships resident AI would pick up the subtle monition easily enough. Continuing to look out the forward view port into the endless black abyss of slipspace Captain Cutter mentally reviewed his orders from Command.

Harvest, one of the UNSC most remote colonies had broken all contact with Earth and while losing contact with the outer colonies for short periods was nothing new. The recent rebel activity had the higher ups in the UNSC on edge and fearing that Harvest had suffered some form of attack HIGHCOM felt that swift action was necessary.

Dispatching Captain Cutter and his ship the Sprit of Fire the UNSC was confident that any rebel activity would be put down easily and in the event that the communication blackout was caused by an actual error and not an attack than at least UNSC show of force would reassure the outer colonies that the UNSC were watching over them.

At two and a half kilometers, the Sprit of Fire is one of the largest UNSC warships however, despite its size it was by UNSC standards underpowered. Originally constructed to serve as a civilian colony ship the Sprit of Fire was repurposed to serve the UNSC as a warship.

Despite being underpowered Cutter was confident that his girl could handle whatever the rebels threw at it. After all, intelligence reports indicated that at most, the rebels had a few hidden frigates. While frigates could pose a threat to the defenseless Harvest colony to the Spirit they were flies to be swatted.

"Crew status Serina."

"All crew have exited cryo and are at their duty stations. However, I regret to inform you that nearly a third of the crew _including _yourself broke cryo protocol by refusing to swallow your prescribed cryo nutrients. I feel I need to remind you about the effects of long term cryo sle…"

"Serina," Cutter interrupted a smile tugging at his lips at the AI's mothering. "It tastes like regurgitated lime-flavored mucus."

"Still Captain your body needs the nutrients."

"Which I can get from a ham sandwich." Cutter looked over his shoulder to glare at the AI's translucent avatar. "Serina drop it."

"Fine but don't blame me when you get scurvy." The female avatar muttered. "Captain we've arrived."

"Set condition one throughout the ship and transition us to normal space."

"Expecting troubled?"

"It's good to be prepared."

"Aye sir."

Cutter steeled himself for whatever was to come as the bridge darkened and a high-pitched siren erupted from the ships audio system singling the crew to report to action stations.

"Transitioning to normal space in three two one."

His chair shook as the massive engines of the Sprit rent the space around the ship and with a sudden stretching sensation the nothingness of slipspace outside the bridge's viewport was replaced with the distance but bright yellow star of the Epsilon Indi System.

"Transition complete. No contacts detected. Engine status normal. We should reach Harvest orbit in thirteen minutes."

"Serina signal Harvest; let's find out what this is all about." Captain Cutter ordered his firm voice demanding absolute obedience.

Serina's reply came moments later a note of worry in her normally carefree voice. "Captain we have a problem."

Eyes narrowing Cutter starred out the viewports at a barely discernable round object that was Harvest. "What sort of problem."

"I have been attempting to signal Harvest but they aren't responding and I am not picking up any local chatter or cargo ships in orbit the entire planet appears to have gone dark."

"Malfunctioning transmitter?"

"Possible but unlikely and even if they can't transmit it doesn't explain the lack of cargo ships. The Epsilon Indi system should be swarming with cargo ships ferrying the planets produce to the rest of the UNS…" Serina stopped mid sentence her hand coming up to her forehead, "wait that's not right. Where is it?"

"Serina?"

"Captain I have conducted a visual scan of the planet and I can't find the Tiara."

Captain Cutter felt his stomach drop. The Tiara was a massive space station connected to Harvest by seven space elevators. Large enough to fill the entire transportation needs of the planet it was Harvests crowing achievements. If it was gone than this was far worse than the admiralty feared.

"Are you sure it's not on the other side of the planet?" Cutter asked hopefully.

"Based on our position and that of the planet it should be right in front of us, only its not."

"Show me the planet." Cutter ordered.

Produced by one of the bridges many holographic emitters a representation of the near side of Harvest appeared in front of the captain.

"According to my data the Tiara should be right here," a red dot appeared above the planet, "now that we're closer I'm seeing a disturbing amount of cloud coverage on the planet. To thick for my cameras to penetrate."

"Serina," Cutter said his mouth dry, "what are the chances that the Tiara has fallen from orbit?" Captain Cutter asked causing one of the deck hands to gasp and the rest of the crew to turn and stare at the AI.

"The Tiara was an incredibly stable structure run by a dedicated 'smart' AI. It would take a monumental force to shift it from orbit. But if it did come down it would bring the seven elevators down with it. I don't think you won't to see my damage estimates."

"Apparently the rebels are more organized than we ever feared." Cutter answered grimly.

"You suspect rebels?"

"You don't?" Cutter replied.

The bridge fell silent but for the subtle beeping of various consoles, as Harvest grew ever larger, the crew's heads filled with dark thoughts. They all knew that the rebels hit civilian targets but there were over three million people on Harvest; people the rebels claimed to fight for. The idea that anyone rebel or otherwise would do such a thing was unthinkable to the crew.

The officer staffing the tactical station suddenly spoke breaking the silence of the bridge. "Sir I'm picking up UNSC IFF on the planet. Interference is heavy but according to this, their alive but that's all I can tell."

"Launch pelicans the moment we reach orbit." Cutter ordered a small glimmer of hope appearing in his eyes. "Make sure there is a medical team onboard. We know there is at least someone alive down their, hopefully they will be able to tell us what the hell happened here."


	2. Ch1 Enter Johnson and a Few New Friends

**Contact Harvest: The Cylon War**

**Ch.1 Enter Johnson and a Few New Friends**

Jenkins shook himself like a dog to get the snow of his helmet and shoulders around him the rest of One-Alpha kept watch over the northern approach to the farmstead he and the rest of the colonial militia had taken refuge in.

Looking up he watched as the snowflakes drifted down from above, it wasn't natural.

In all his life living on Harvest, it had never snowed not even at the poles. But now that the Tiara had come down causing the massive space elevators to literally wrap themselves around the planet nothing made sense anymore.

He overheard Staff Sergeant Byrne telling Johnson that Utgard had been nuked along with the other major cities.

Nuked by who? He still didn't have a clue what was going on. He knew it was a new faction of some sort but not rebels; rebels wouldn't do this to them… would they?

His thoughts drifted towards his family and their small farm. They weren't near any of the major population centers but that didn't matter. Thanks to the Tiara they were probably crushed under millions of tons of fallen steel.

Jenkins jerked in surprise as a firm hand landed on his shoulder. Turning he followed the arm to his Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson.

"Easy boy," the man said as his eyes roamed the winter landscape. "Don't focus on things you can do nothing about, it will drive you insane. Trust me I know."

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I know the look of a man haunted by ghosts."

"They could still be alive," Jenkins said. If Johnson disagreed with the statement, he didn't say anything letting Jenkins hold on to what little hope he had left. "How's Captain Ponder?"

Ponder the man charged by the UNSC with setting up the local militia on Harvest had been hit by shrapnel in the neck when one of the strange fighters had conducted a strafing run on the platoon as they fled Utgard.

"He's dead." The statement was quick short and as devoid of emotion as the dying land around them

"Dead?" Jenkins repeated shocked. "Why? Why did they do this to us? What did we ever do to them?"

"I don't know son. The transmissions they sent didn't make any sense. But I know this. When I get my hands on them I am going to strangle them with their own living guts."

Before Jenkins could reply to the bold declaration his helmet radio crackled to life.

"Heads up people we have pelicans incoming from the North."

"Stay alert One-Alpha," Johnson yelled as he activated his helmet mike. "One-bravo and One-Charlie move up to Northern positions. Byrne I'll leave watching the back door to 2nd platoon."

"Sir they're pelicans why are we taking up defensive positions," Jenkins asked.

"Because ships can be hijacked and signals faked so get behind some god damn cover before I put my size ten boot up your ass!"

Not even bothering with a 'yes sir' Jenkins lunged for the nearest cover not wanting to incur the wrath of his commanding officer which became more problematic as Johnson took up position next to him.

Thankfully, for Jenkins he didn't have to wait long for the roar of a pelicans engines to be heard approaching from the east.

Johnson relaxed his finger on the trigger, as the three pelicans appeared out of the raging blizzard their bright spotlights roaming across the farmstead as they came in for a landing.

Before the pelican even fully touch down a pair of ODST fuller covered in black armor jumped out their assault rifles held in a ready but non-threatening position.

A third figure followed wearing the stranded combat gear of a UNSC marine. He moved quickly forward as Avery abandoned his concealed position to great him.

"Sir, Sergeant John Forge," he greeted with a quick salute.

He returned the salute, "Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson. I was unaware of any other UNSC forces in system."

"The Sprit of Fire arrived less than an hour ago but we'll have to talk later sir. The pilots registered high radiation levels to the North and unfortunately the winds are blowing it straight here."

"Damn. I have a woman from ONI suffering a head injury. She is unconscious and I don't know if we can move her."

"We have a medical team with us."

"Good have them grab the lady and let's get out of here before we all start to glow in the dark."

**One Hour Later**

"So she hailed the unknown ship?" Captain Cutter strapped into his command chair asked the holographic images of the two Staff Sergeants in the medical bay. While he wanted to have this conversation in person it would just be unacceptable for him to leave the bridge at such a strenuous time, and the medics had made it quiet clear that they wanted to check out all the survivors taken from the surface. Master of the ship he may be he wasn't crazy enough to take on the medical staff.

So far, all he had learned was that an unknown ship had appeared near Harvest forcing and undercover ONI agent, currently unconscious in med bay, to take charge of the marine unit and make contact.

"Yes," Johnson answered as his holo image swatted at one of the off camera orderlies. "They responded but half of what they said made no sense."

"Did they at least identify themselves?"

"I think they referred to themselves as Cyclones." Avery answered causing Byrne to role his eyes.

"It was Cylons sir," Byrne clarified, "They accused us of being 'slavers' and told us to free our captives form their bonds."

"Standard rebel talk," Cutter replied, "Claiming the UNSC has enslaved the outer colonies when all we are doing is trying to keep humanity whole."

"Captain I don't think they were referring to the UNSC," Byrne interjected, "in fact it sounded like they had a problem with the people of Harvest in general."

Cutter frowned at that, "Harvest was a farming planet that had minimal dealings with the UNSC. What problems could these Cylons have with them?" Seeing as neither of the Staff Sergeants had an answer he moved on to a topic that he had been waiting to get to since the conversation started. "Just what the hell happened to the Tiara anyways?"

"Well," Johnson continued, "After the Cyclones accused us of being slavers they cut transmission. Almost immediately Sif the central AI onboard the Tiara detected intrusive software in her systems. She attempted to stop the hack and seemed to be able to stop it but Sif was built to run the Tiara not fight a digital war. That's when things went to hell. Mack the planets agriculture AI seized control of the planets MAC (originally used to launch objects into obit before the Tiara was installed) and well… he fired on the Tiara."

Cutter's eyebrows nearly shot off his face. "It was our own AI that brought down the Tiara!"

"No! It was a precession shot, completely obliterated Sif's data arrays but left the station in orbit."

"Than what caused the station to lose orbit?"

"After Sif was destroyed," Byrne continued, "the Cylons suddenly blanketed every comm. channel on the planet screaming that we would pay for our sins, and the human disease would be cleansed.

"Human disease?" Cutter asked wondering just what sort of lunatics he was dealing with.

"Like I said they spoke gibberish," Avery responded, "and before we knew it they nuked the Tiara."

"Bringing the elevators down onto the planet." Cutter said more to himself than anyone.

"But before the elevators had even fully come down they launched fighters. We barely got out of Utgard before they dropped a nuke on it. After that we holed up at the farmstead you found us at."

"Alright. I have already had Serina prepare rooms for you when you are done in med lab get some rest. Bridge out."

Cutting the feed to the med lab Captain Cutter turned towards the ever present Serina. "Your thoughts."

"Hard to make any conclusions with such limited data. But this doesn't fit the profile of the rebels and there is the fact that they referred to your species as a disease."

"We're not dealing with a rampant AI are?" While generally AI's in the UNSC were very reliable every so often they had a tendency to go rampant (insane) causing harm not only to themselves but anyone in their path. For that reason, ONI had whole departments tasked with tracking the activity of AI's and dealing with faulty ones.

"I'll admit it would fit some of the facts but it still doesn't explain the ship. I have searched every databank I have and I can't find any space faring vessel that even comes close to matching the unknown. The ship is of an alien design to standard UNSC building practices."

"_How_ alien exactly?" Cutter asked watching the AI closely.

"If this is a first contact than it looks like George Wells was right in which case we all screwed."

"Let's get off that train of thought Serina shall we?" Cutter replied not even bating an eyelash at the AI's morbid sense of humor. "How are rescue efforts coming?"

"Not good I am afraid. Nearly 60% of the planet's surface suffered some form of impact of the three million people living on Harvest our search efforts have only located 241 survivors."

Even after seeing the planet from orbit, he still felt shaken by the loss of life that took place. Such a loss at one time hadn't happened for generations, and he still didn't know who or what had caused it.

As if in answer to the Captains silent question the bridge's Tactical Office yelled out. "Contact! New contact! Two ships. Distance two hundred thousand kilometers."

"Captain ship's profiles matches the description of the one that destroyed Harvest." Serina announced.

"Where the hell did they come from?" Cutter demanded. No Human ship-AI controlled or otherwise-would jump this close to a planet, slipspace travel was just too damn inaccurate.

"Unknown Captain no slipspace event was detec… ships are launching fighters."

Captain Cutter's response was instantaneous. "Set condition one throughout the ship. Helm brake orbit, recall the pelicans from the planet. Serina ready the MAC and plot firing solutions for the Archer missiles."

The massive engines of the Sprit of Fire roared to life pushing the ship from high orbit and towards the unknown threat.

Rebel… Rampant AI… Alien. Captain Cutter didn't care who they were. To him they were murderers, and he would make them pay for every life they stole on Harvest.


	3. Ch2 The Long War Begins

**Contact Harvest: The Cylon War**

**Ch.2 The Long War Begins**

AN :If I didn't get the Cylon FTL drives right sorry but this is the way I want them in my story.

"All Longsword fighters are away Captain. Enemy will be in range in two minutes"

"Make sure they stick close to the Spirit. There are just to many enemy fighters for them to take on themselves. They are to deal with any that get by the blanket fire of the deck guns. Firing Control get me a MAC lock on the nearest enemy capital ship, target the ship with archer missiles as well. Serina the 50mm point defense guns are yours."

"Why do I always get the small guns?" Serina pouted before her avatar frowned. "Sir someone is trying to break into my systems."

Cutter spun around in his chair, "block them!"

"I have already shut down all non-essential points of entry and firewalled key comm. systems but whoever they are they know their stuff. I can see why the Tiara's AI couldn't hold them back.

"Can you keep them out of your systems?" Cutter asked not at all liking the idea that his ships systems were being corrupted. Whoever they were could vent the atmosphere or overload the ships power core.

"If they maintain this level of attack I can keep them out of key systems but secondary systems will be more difficult to protect, meaning they'll be able to flush every toilet on the ship at once if they want."

"Or activate the fire suppression system and asphyxiate us all," Cutter deadpanned. "Serina do what ever you half to but keep them out of my ship."

"Yes sir," Serina replied already generating hundreds of counter intrusion programs that she set loose throughout the ship. If they wanted her pathways, they were going to have to fight her for every last circuit.

Leaving the AI to her work Cutter turned back towards the frontal viewport where he could just make out the massive horde of incoming fighters and further back two ominous looking capital ships each looking like two cones connected by a central shaft.

"Sir fighters in range."

"Deck guns fire at will."

The enemy fighters, which up until now had proceeded unmolested towards the Spirit, suddenly found themselves under siege by the guns of the Spirit. Solid shot fired from the forward batteries tore through the enemy fighters while flak shot fired from the rear batteries scattered whole formations as chunks of red hot metal tore into the fighters.

"Sir fighters have broken formation and can't get by through the flak their clustering enemy capital ship in range of the MAC.

"Then send them to hell."

Propelled by three massive magnetic coils down a barrel than ran the length of the ship a massive slug of depleted uranium erupted from the underside of the Spirit of Fire causing the whole vessel to shake.

The massive 1,000 ton slug traveling at nearly half the speed of light passed through the floundering fighters as if they were nothing and slammed into the central shaft of the nearest enemy ship.

Broken in half the two individually portions, their thrusters firing erratically, collided with each other. The lower half ripping up into the underside of the upper saucer fusing the ship back together before a series of secondary explosions rippled across the surface of the upper saucer.

The entire twisted structure vanished an instant latter when nearly two dozen archer missiles slammed into the hull causing the vessels power core to explode scattering the ship across the system.

"One down, one to go," Cutter said as the bridge erupted in cheers at the death of the enemy ship. "MAC status."

"MAC is recharging time until we can fire again two minutes."

Things were looking up for the Spirit, Cutter thought, the enemy fighters were bogged down by the deck guns one enemy capital ship was dead and in two minutes so would be the second.

And it was at this moment of triumph that the universe threw a curve ball.

A brilliant flash of white light enveloped the enemy capital ship and when it cleared, the massive vessel was gone.

Cutter's eyes widened, "what th…"

"Captain! Enemy ship 20,000 kilometers to port, their launching missiles.

"Serina!" Cutter yelled. "Point guns."

The deck guns while extremely powerful were also very slow at turning leaving only the small number of Longsword fighters and the point defense guns controlled by Serina to defend against the Cylon strike.

The Longsword fighters and Serina's point guns tore into the missiles but without the support of the deck guns, they could only do so much and one got through.

Captain Cutter was thrown forward in his chair with enough force to blacking his vision. Around him, the lights of the bridge flicked and a station exploded killing an unfortunate ensign and throwing shrapnel throughout the bridge.

As his vision returned, Cutter grabbed his bleeding arm where a thin piece of metal had embedded itself. "Ser… Serina what the hell was that?"

"A nuke. Low yield but it still took out a dozen deck guns and all of our fighters stationed to guard starboard are KIA. We are leaking atmosphere."

"MAC?"

"Offline along with our slip drive."

"Damn it, Serina target that god damn ship with everything we have, deck guns archer missiles… everything."

"What of the enemy fighters without the deck guns they'll be all over us."

"The Longswords will have to deal with them, at least until we deal with their capital ship."

The Spirit of Fire, ablaze and leaking atmosphere, trained what was left of her guns onto the enemy capital ship. Launching archer missiles the deck guns of the Spirit opened up on the enemy their depleted uranium rounds tearing into the armor of the Cylon capital ship.

The Cylon response was swift as a second and a third salvo of missiles erupted from their silos and streaked towards the Spirit. They also launched what must have been reserve fighters, fighters that immediately moved to intercept the Archer missiles.

But the troubles of the Spirit didn't end there.

No longer held back by the flak generated by the Spirit's deck guns the fighters descended upon the wounded warship, the few Longswords to survive the blast were unable to keep them back.

With a speed beyond human ability the point defense guns, controlled by Serina, tracked the incoming fighters. Fighters exploded as precision shots pieced what appeared to be their cockpit.

Undeterred by the loses they had suffered the fighters pressed on launching every missile they had, and while Serina was able to shoot down most of the missiles with her point defense guns, some got through.

And for each _conventional_ missile that got through another deck gun was lost.

But Captain Cutter and the Spirit of Fire would not be denied. And their own archer missiles struck the Cylon ship obliterating large sections of the ship.

Aflame and venting atmosphere the Spirit unleashed a finial salvo into devastated armor of the Cylon ship piecing the power core deep within.

With a final shutter, the Cylon ship exploded sending a wave of energy washing over the Spirit destroying Cylon and Longsword fighters alike.

Whether out of rage or maybe spite the few reaming Cylon fighters turned towards the burning UNSC ship and in a last desperate attempt to destroy the vessel rammed the Spirit of Fire at full speed.

"That was just rude," Serina muttered as the last of the Cylon raiders threw themselves at her ship leaving her with only 16 of her original 40 guns. "Captain our skies are clear."

"How bad is it?" Cutter asked already knowing he wouldn't like what he was about to hear.

"Bad sir. Most of our deck guns are gone; the MAC overloaded and cannot be repaired without a dry-dock. Massive sections along the port side are open to space."

"Causalities?"

"Unknown I have lost contact with a number of sections but from the damage its going to be high."

"Tell me you can get the Slipspace drive back online."

"Repair crews are working on it, initial diagnostic are positive, we should be able to get it back online but it will take time."

"Time we don't have Serina. The drive is your top priority. We need to get out of here and report to UNSC before any more friends show up."

"More Captain?"

"Serina one ship destroyed Harvest, two attacked us, and we have no idea what we are up against. This is the sought of thing to be handled by a full UNSC battle group. If we are lucky, those were the only two ships these Cylons had. But I get the feeling we are not that lucky.


End file.
